1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fighting chair including a gimbal mounted rod holder.
2. Description of Related Art
Most conventional fighting chairs are mounted on a rotatable base so that the chair can follow the pull of the fish. Typically the chair is equipped with a rod holder adapted to accept the butt of the fishing rod and mounted so that the rod can move forward and back and from side to side. However, rotational motion of the rod is generally precluded because the chair can swivel. While fighting chairs of the sort just described are useful on large boats, they tend to be too large and expensive for small boats.
In view of the foregoing need, the inventor has discovered a collapsible chair/rod holder combination that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to store and erect. The use of rod holders is known in the context of fighting chairs. However, there do not appear to be acceptable rod holders on the market or otherwise that adequately permit a fishing pole to rotate in the context of a collapsible fighting chair. Several prior art references disclose the use of a pin adapted to engage a slot in the butt of a fishing rod in order to prevent rotational movement. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,731 which discloses the use of a pin in the bottom of a rod holder for the purpose of preventing rotation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,706 discloses a similar locking pin for the same purpose. The following U.S. Pat. references may also be relevant with regard to fishing rod holders: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,351,888; 3,745,690; 3,851,916; 4,017,998; 4,485,579 and 4,578,891.
It was in the context of the foregoing prior art that the present invention arose.